Vending machine



Aug. 9, 1932. c. w. KLOSTERMANN 1,871,000

VENDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTORNEYS.

9, 1932- c. w. KLOSTERMANN 1,871,000

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VENDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

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Patented Aug. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES PATEN'E OFFICE CURT W. KLOSTERMANN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR TO MECHANICAL VENDING CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE VENDING- MACHINE Application filed December 2, 192a. seriai no: 411,035.-

This invention relates to vending machines and particularly to machines of the coin actuated type, wherein a coin or coins are em ployed for connecting the operating means to the discharge mechanism, and wherein change making devices are employed for returning to a customerany change representing the difference between the value of the article purchased and that of the coin or coins deposited in the machine.

One object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine for selectively dispensing articles of different brand or make and of different kind and value.

Another object of the invention is to provide a .machine having a single operating means for actuating any of the various discharge mechanisms in the machine for obtainingthe desired article of merchandise. 7 Another object of the invention is to provide a novel coin controlled mechanism and a novel change making device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel construction and arrangement I for positioning the coin controlled means in proper alignment with the coin conducting means. Another object ofthe invention is to provide a novel coin controlled mechanism-for preventing clogging of the machine in the event that coins are deposited in the machine between the startin and completingof an I I u D 0 article discharging operation.

- A further object of the'invention is to provide a machine of the characterdescribed" disclosed in sundry details hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. j

One embodiment of the present invention is shown for illustrative purposes in the ac- :as indicated by the line 4-4: of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an'enlarged fragmentary sectional elevational view of the machine'takenas indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 an enlarged fragmentary detail elevational View partly in section of the two coin controlled mechanism illustrating the operation thereof;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken substantial-,

1y as indicated by the line 7 '7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail sectional elevation through a portion of one of the "coin chutes and taken as indicated by the line 88 of Fig. 2; and I Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the coin discharge rotor employed in conjunction with the change making device forming a part of the present invention. v

The illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings comprises a frame 10 having a plurality of magazines 11 formed therein, the respective magazines being adapted to contain a plurality of articles of merchandise such, for example, as packages of cigarettes of different brands ormakes, and, in the present instance, of uniform price,

the packages being indicated in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings by the nuineral'1'2.

The vframe 10, in the present instance, is provided also with a magazinev 13 (Fig. 4)

for containing articles of merchandise of a different value such, for example, as boxes of matches 14, and is provided on its front vertical side with vertically disposed longitudinally extending sight openings 15 having transparent panels 16 such as glass, or the like, mounted therein to enable the purchaser to observe the brand or nature of the articles of merchandise contained in the respective magazines. The front portion of the machine, in the present instance, adjacent the lower end thereof, has formed therein an aperture 17 providing access to a pocketinto which the articles of merchandise are de livered when ejected from the magazines, and the frame is also provided, adjacent one end of the aperture 17 with a coin pocket 19 into which coins are deposited from the change making device when the magazines of the machine are charged with articles of merchandise of less value than that of the coin or coins deposited in the machine.

For discharging articles from the respective magazines, a shaft 20 is rotatably mounted at its ends in bearings 21 mounted on'the frame of the machine and provided with a plurality of spaced plates 22 rotatablymounted on the shaft adjacent the lower ends of the respective magazines 11, and formed on the periphery of the plates 22 are radially disposed annularly spaced fingers 23 adapted to traverse the lower portion of the respective magazines in a manner to engage the lowermost article therein in a manner to move the article transversely with respect to the magazine as shown in Fig. 6 and deposit it into a chute 24 by which it is conducted to the pocket 18 from which it may be removed v through the aperture 17 by the purchaser.

For rotating the plates 22 and fingers 23 for discharging articles from the magazines, the shaft 20 adjacent one of its end portions has secured thereto, by means of a set screw 25, a manually operated hand lever 26 extendlng outwardly through a slot 27 formed in the front portion of the frame and provided on its outer or free end with a knob 28 by which the purchaser may rotate the shaft 20 for operating the machine.

As previously stated, the present machine is of the coin actuated type, and in the present instance, the article discharging fingers 23 are adapted to be actuated by a plurality of colns, for example, two dimes deposited in j the article discharging mechanism.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2, 3 6 and 7, 1t will be noted that one face of the plates 22 is provided with a plurality of radially disposed annularly spaced channels 29 adapted to receive coins from a chute 30, and annularly formed grooves 31 communicating, ad Jacent their end portions, with the .channels 29. Secured to the shaft 20, adjacent the channelled and grooved face of the plates 22 in a manner-to close the open sides of the channel 29," are actuating members 32 of segmental form and having a portion 33 formed thereon adapted to extend into the plane of the channels 29 in a manner to support the coins are positioned for the purpose of preventing coins inserted in the machine from entering the adjacent channel during the cycle of operation of discharging an article of merchandise from one of the magazines and thereby causing a possible clogging of the actuating mechanism.

Obviously, when two coins are deposited in the channel 29 inedgewise alignment with respect to each other as indicated at A and B in Figs. 2 and 6, the coins are held against displacement by the walls of the channel and the adjacent face of the actuating member 32, with the uppermost coin indicated at B in a position to be engaged by the forward or adjacent end of the rib 34, and by forcing the outer or free end of the lever 26 downwardly along the slot 27 by means of the knob 28, the shaft 20 and actuating member 32 mounted thereby will be rotated and the forward end of the rib 34 will be brought into engagement with the adjacent edge of the coin B in a manner to cause the coin to impinge the passage wall of the channel 29 in which it is mounted and rotate the plate 22, and fingers 23 mounted thereon into engagement with the lowermost article in a magazine for discharging the article into the chute 24 and pocket 18. Secured to a rearwardly extending-portion 35 of the lever 26 is one end of a spring 36, the opposite end of which is secured to a lug 37 mounted on the base portion 38 of the machine for returning the operating lever 26 and actuatingmember32 to their normal positions.

Referring particularly to Figs. 3, 5 and 6, it will be noted that the opposite sides of the plates 22 from the channeled sides thereof are provided with annularly adjustable cams 39 having a plurality of annularly spaced lobes 40 formed thereon which in the present instance, are positioned approximately intermediate the discharge fingers 23. Suitably mounted, preferably on the base portion 38 of the machine, is a tubular bracket 41 adapted to slidably receive a plunger 42 having an anti-friction roller 43 mounted on its outer endportion and adapted to engage the cam member 39. The plunger 42 is held against rotation in the bracket 41 by means of. a set screw 44 extending into a longitudinal groove 45 formed in the plunger, while ayielding member such as a. coiled spring 46 positioned between the inner end of the plunger 42 and bottom of the bracket 41 tends to urge the roller 43 into yielding engagement with the For detecting and withdrawing coins or cam member 39. Thus, it will be observed that the force of the spring 46 and the formation of the faces of the lobes 40 will tend to cause the cam 39 to assume a position wherein the roller 43 will engage the lowermost point of the recesses intermediate the lobes, thereby causing the channels 29 to be positioned in proper alignment with they lower end of the coin chute 30 for the proper reception of coins deposited in the chute. It will be obformed in the rear edge of the chutes 30 and served that in the event thatthe operating lever 26 is not moved to its limit, ifi'the article discharging operation, the engagement.

of the roller 43 with one or the other of adj acent operating faces of adj acent cam lobes will cause the plates-22 and discharge fingers 23 to be rotated in a direction to complete the discharging operation of the fingers or tend to return the discharge mechanism /to its initial position, in which latter event there will be no forward position assumed by its last discharge movement, this will cause the portion 33 to be moved from beneath the slot in which the coins were positioned to enable the last operation of the machine, thereby clearing the slot and permitting the coins to drop by posited in the coin pocket 19 from which gravity therefrom into a suitable coin receptacle positioned in the bottom of the machine, and indicated bythe reference character C.

Positioned adjacent the upper end portion of the frame 10, preferably on the front side thereof, are a plurality of slots 47 adapted to receive coins such as dimes employed for operating the mechanism shown in the present embodiment, and suitably positioned inside the frame and communicating with the respective slots 47 are runways 48 open on their lower edge as indicated at 49 adjacent the upper end of the coin chutes 30 fordepositing coins therein. It will be noted by reference to Figs. 2, 3 and .8 that the runways are inclined transversely at an angle to the perpendicular and provided in. their lower side portion with an elongated opening 50 through which coins or tokens of lesser diameter than those intended for use in the operation of the machine are ejected onto an inclined plate 51 from which the coins are deposited into a transversely extending slide 52, the lower end portion 53 of which is adapted to communicate with a coin discharge chute 54 by which coins so ejected are dethey may be reposessed by the customer. I

deposit them also on the slide 52 by which they are conducted to the chute 54 by which they are deposited in thepocket 19 and recovered by the customer.

It ill be observed from the foregoing description that the present invention provides a plurality of magazines for the reception of articles of merchandise such as packages of cigarettes of various brands, the packages of like brands being deposited in the respective magazines, and by providing independently operated discharge mechanism and coin receiving means adjacent the respective magazines, a customer may select and obtain from the machine a package of the "particular brand desired.

In the event that the price of articles contained in the respective magazines is less than the value of the coins deposited in the machine for operating the discharge mechanism,

a change making device is provided, and in" the present instance, comprisesa shaft 57 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 58 secured to the frame of the machine, and provided adjacent oneof its end portions with a rotor 59 having a plurality of pockets 60 formed therein adapted to register with one end of a coin magazine 61 in a manner to receive coins therefrom, the coins in the magazine 61 being urged toward the dischar e end thereof by suitable resilient means-sue for example, as a coiled spring 62 as illustrated in Fig. 4. The pockets 60 may be formed of a suitable depth-to receive a predetermined number of coins from the magazine 61 which will represent the difierence between the value of the article purchased and that of the co ns deposited in the machine for actuating the article discharge mechanism. For example, if the'value of the article such as a package of cigarettes is 17 e and two dimes are employed to operate the discharge mechanism, the pockets 60 will be of" suflicient depth to hold three pennies, this being the difference between the purchase price of the article and the amount of coins deposited in the machine.

Secured to the -shaft 57 adjacent the respective plates 22 and their respective discharge fingers 23 are toothed wheels or pinions 62 adapted to be engaged by the fingers 23 when the latter are moved through the medium of the coins deposited in the channels 29, thereby rotating the shaft 57- and rotor 59 in a manner to cause the three pennies in thepocket 60 adjacent the coin magazine 61 to be movedaway from the end of the I coin magazine in a manner to deposit the pennies into the coin discharge chute 54. by which they are conducted to the coin pocket 19 from which they may be taken by the purchaser.

It will be noted that the removal of one article or package from a magazine by a'set of discharge fingers 23 brings an adjacent set of fingers into positionto discharge the next succeeding article, and that such movement of the fingers causes the shaft 57 and rotor 59 to be moved a sufficient distance to cause one of the pockets 60 to remove coins from the adjacent end of the coin magazine 61 and bring another of the pockets 60 into registry therewith for receiving coins preparatory to making change when the next purchase is made from the machine.

For obtaining an article of different value such for example, as a box of matches indicated in the present instance by the numeral 14, it will be observed by reference particularly to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 that an ejector 63 is loosely mounted on the shaft 20 adjacent the article magazine 13 in a manner to engage the lowermost article or box to eject it from the magazine 13 into the chute 24 by which it is deposited in the pocket 18 from which it may be removed by the purchaser. The ejector 63 is of substantially segmental form and provided on its peripheral edge with a relatively broad elongated flange 64 adapted to support the superposed articles or boxes while the lowermost box is being discharged.

For actuating the ejector 63, a connecting member 65 is pivotally mounted intermedi ate its end portions, as indicated at 66, on the ejector 63, one end of the connecting member being provided with a hook 67 adapted to be engaged by a pin 68 carried by an arm 69 secured to the shaft 20 by means of a set screw 7 O. The said hook end of the connecting member 65 is adapted to be positioned normally adjacent and below the lower or delivery end of a coin chute 71 communicating at its upper end with one end of a runway 72 (Fig. 3), the opposite end of which is positioned adjacent a slot 73 on the front side of the frame in a manner to receive coins deposited therein.

The opposite end of'the connecting member 65 .is provided with a weight 74 by which the connecting member is yieldingly retained normally in the position shown in dotted'lines in Fig. 5 with the book 67 raised above the path of movement of the pin 68 mounted on the lever 69 thereby permitting movement of the shaft and arm 69 when the discharge mechanism for the other magazines is being operated without in any way effecting movement of the ejector 63. When, however, it is desirable to purchase an article such as a box of matches from the magazine 13, a coin deposited in the slot 73 will be conducted to the lower or delivery end of the coin chute 71 in a manner to engage the end portion of the connector as indicated at D (Fig. 5) and move it'into operative position as shown by full lines in Fig. 5, in which position, by manipulating the operating lever 26, the pin 68 will engage the hook 67 and move the ejector through the lower portion of the magazine 13 in a manner to eject the lowermost box or other article therefrom, and as the pivotal connection of the connecting member 65 is moved beyond the coin D, the lowermost box will have been deposited in the chute 24 and the coin will be permitted to fall by gravity into the box or other coin receptacle C. Upon releasing the lever 26,

the spring 36 will rock the shaft 20 in the opposite direction and by reason of the engagement of the pin 68 with theejector will return the parts to their normalor initial position as indicated in Fig. 5 when the ejector 63 will engage a stop pin 75 secured to a portion of the frame.

In the event that during the operation of the machine for ejectinga package from one of the magazines 11, and while the arm 69 is in a forward position by reason of the manipulation of the hand lever 26, one desires to obtain, for example, a box of matches from the magazine 13, and a coin is dropped into .the connector 65 into the full line position shown in Fig. 5, the connector is provided with a cut away portion or cam face 65a adapted to be engaged by the pin 68 on the return movement of the pin in a manner to momentarily raise the hook end of the connector 65 and permit the pin 68 to 1 pass under and into a position for engaging the hook 67 on the next downward movement of the hand lever 26. It will be noted also that a stop pin 63a is positioned on the ejector 63 in a. manner to be engaged by the weighted end 74 of the connector, thereby limiting the downward movement of the hook end of the connector 65 when the coin is deposited in the chute 71, and for preventing possible engagement of the upper side of the connector when the pin 68 is returned to its normal position as above described.

For replenishing the supply of articles in the respective magazines, the top or cover portion 76 of the frame may be removed, together with the runways 48 and 7 2 and the inclined plate 51, thereby providing free access to the upper ends of the respective magazines, and after charging, the cover may be readily replaced, the flaring upper ends 7 7 of the coin chutes 30 and 71 being adapted to receive and guide the ends of the runways 4.8 and 72 into proper position.

For securing the cover portion 76 to the main frame of the machine, brackets 78 seadapted to receive a reduced portion '81 of a shaft 82 rotatably mountedin brackets 83 secured to the cover portion 76. After positioning the reduced portions 81 in the aperture 79 by way of the slots 80, the shaft 82 may be turned by means of a key controlled lock barrel 84 to position the reduced portions 81 of the shaft 82 transversely to the slots 80 thereby securing the cover 76 to the frame arfld preventing unauthorized removal there- Suitable means may be provided for obtaining access to the receptacle C as for example, a lock controlled closure 85 may be positioned in the side or end wall of the frame as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. It will be observed from the foregoing description that the present invention provides a coin controlled vending machine from which the articles of various brands or makes and of different values may be selectively ob- I tained by novel mechanism actuated by a single operating lever. Furthermore, the present invention provides a novel and simple change-making device operatively related to the article discharging mechanism in order to be controlled thereby, and also provides novel coin controlled actuating means for discharging articles from the respective magazines.

Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the precise construction and arrangement shown and described as the same may be variously modified. Moreover, all the features of the invention need not be used jointly as the same may be used to advanta e in variously different combinations andsu%- combinations.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit -of my invention; hence, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. In a vending machine, the combination of a frame, a magazine for containinga plurality of articles of merchandise mounted in said frame, coin controlled rotatable means. having a plurality of fingers thereon for discharging articles from said ma azine, and means actuated by said fingers or ejecting coins from the machine.

2. In a vending machine, the combination of a frame, a magazine for containing a plurality of articles of merchandise mounted in said frame, manually operated coin con- 60 trolled rotatable means having a plurality of fingers thereon for discharging articles from said magazine, and means rotatablein one direction and actuated by said fingers for eject ing coins from the machine. as 3. In a vending machine, the combination of a frame, a magazine for containing a pluating lever rigidly secured thereto, a plate rotatably mounted on said shaft and having a plurality of annularly spaced radially disposed channels formed in one face thereof and annular grooves communicating at their end port1ons with said channels, a plurality of annularly spaced radially disposed fingers carried by said plate and adapted to engage the lower-most article in said magazine, an actuating member rigidly secured to said shaft and cooperable with said plate in a manner to form a coin receptacle therebetween, an annular rib formed on the face of said member adjacent said plate and adapted to enter said grooves in a manner to engage a coin positioned in said channels, means for conducting coins to said receptacle, and change-making mechanism operatively related to said fingers in a manner to be actuated thereby.

4. In a vending machine, the combination of a frame, a magazine for containing a plurality of articles of merchandise mounted in said frame, manually operated coin controlled means for discharging articles from said magazine, said means comprising ashaft rotatably mounted in said frame, an operating lever rigidly secured thereto," a plate rotatably mounted on said shaft and having a plurality of annularly spaced radially disposed channels formed in one face thereof for the reception of a plurality of coins in edge-wise alignment with respect to each other, said plate having annular grooves formed therein communicating with said channels and a plurality of annularly spaced fingers formed thereon adapted to engage articles in said magazine, an actuating mem'-- ber secured to said shaft and cooperable with said plate to 'close the open side of said channels when in coin receiving position, means formed on said member for supporting the lower-most coin in said channel, and means formed on said member adapted to enter said grooves in a manner to engage the uppermost coin positioned in a channel when said lever is operated.

5. In a vending machine, the combination of a frame, a plurality of magazines for containing a plurality of articles of merchandise mounted in said frame,o1n controlled means.

having fingers formed thereon and operatively related to the respective magazines for discharging articles therefrom, a coin chute communicating with each of said coin control means, a change-making device operatively related to said coin controlled means coins from said coin magazine, and means actuated by said fingers for driving said rotor in a manner to remove coins from the delivery end of said coin magazine.

6. In a vending machine, the combination of a frame, a plurality of magazines for containing a plurality of articles of merchandise mounted in said frame, coin controlled means,

having fingers formed thereon and operatively related to the respective magazines for dis charging articles therefrom, a coin chute communicating with each of said coin control means, a change-making device operatively related to said coin controlled means comprising a coin magazine, .a rotor having a plurality of pockets formed therein adapted to receive a predetermined number of coins from said'coin magazine, and means actuated by said fingers for driving said rotor in a manner to remove said predetermined number of coins from adjacent the delivery end of said coin magazine.

7. In a vending machine, the combination of a frame, a plurality of magazines for containing a plurality of articles of merchandise mounted in said frame, coin controlled means having fingers formed thereon and operatively related to the respective'magazines for discharging articles therefrom, a coin chute communicating with each of said coin controlled means, a change-making device operatively related to said coin controlled means comprising a coin magazine, a rotor positioned adjacent one end of said coin magazine'and provided with a plurality of annularly spaced pockets adapted toregister successively with said one end of the coin magazine in a manner to receive a predetermined number of coins therefrom, and means operatively related to said rotor and adapted to be engaged by said fingers for removing said predetermined number of coins from adjacent the end of said coin magazine.

8. In a vending machine, the combination of a frame, a plurality of magazines for containing a plurality of articles of merchandise mounted in said frame, a shaft, a plurality of rotatable coin controlled means mounted on said shaft and operatively related thereto and having fingers formed thereon for traversing the lower end portion of the respective magazines in a manner to discharge articles therefrom, a coin chute communicating with each of said coin controlled means, a change-making device operatively related to said coin controlled means. comprising a horizontally disposed second shaft and coin magazine, a rotor secured to said second shaft adjacent one endof said coin magazine and provided with a plurality of annularly spaced pockets adapted,'when in normal position, to register successively with said one end of the coin magazinein a manner to receive a predetermined number of. coins therefrom,

means for moving the coins longitudinally of the coin magazine, a plurality of toothed members secured to said second shaftadjacent the respective article magazines and adapted to be engaged by the fingers of the respective coin controlled means in a manner to rotate said second shaft and rotor to remove the coins in any one of the said pockets from the end of said coin magazine, and means for conducting saidcoins to the exterior of said frame.

9. In a machine for vending articles of different value comprising, in combination, a frame, a magazine for containing articles of one value mounted therein, a shaft mounted in said frame, coin controlled means rotatably mounted on said shaft and having a plurality of fingers adapted to discharge articles from said magazine, a chute for conducting coins to said coin controlled means,

a second magazine for containing articles ofa different value, a second coin controlled means mounted on said shaft for ejecting articles from said second magazine, a second chute for conducting coins to said second coin controlled means, said second coin controlled means comprising an ejector loosely mounted on said shaft, a connector pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said ejector adjacent the delivery end of said second chute in a manner to be engaged and moved into operative position by a coin deposited therein, actuating means secured to said shaft and engageable with said connector when in operative position and when said actuating means is moved in one direction for ejecting an article from said second magazine,- and means formed on said connector and engageable by, said actuating means for momentarily moving the connector out of operative position when the actuating means is moved in the opposite direction.

10. In a machine for Vending articles of different value comprising, in combination, a frame, a magazine for containing articles of one value mounted therein, a shaft mounted in said frame, coin controlled means rotatablyvmounted on said shaft and having a plurality of fin ers adapted to discharge articles from sai magazine, a chute for conducting coins to said coin controlledmeans, a second magazine for containing articles of a different value, a second coin controlled means mounted on said shaft for ejecting articles from said second magazine, a second chute for conducting COlIlS to sa1d second coin controlled means, sa1d second controlled .means'comprising an ejector loosely mounted on said shaft, an actuating member secured to said shaft and having a pin mounted thereon, a connector pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said ejector and having one of its end portions provided with a hook and positioned adj acent the delivery end of said second chute to be engaged by a coin deposited therein in a manner to move said hook into the path of movement of said pin when said actuating member is moved in one direction, a weight carried by the opposite end member is moved in the opposite direction. 7

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 21st day of October, A. D. 1929.

CURT W. KLOSTERMANN 

